I feel like a weight has been lifted. Not only am I so proud of the Victoire for making it to the PWHL finals for the first time in team history, I am relieved that the Frost won’t be winning the Walter Cup this year!

Victoire vs Frost game 5 was so stressful but so freaking fun! It was such a tight game up until the very end, but Captain Clutch Marie-Philip Poulin led the Victoire to a 2-1 win!

Victoire picked the Charge as their semifinal opponent last year but ended up losing to them 😲 Tomorrow they will begin an epic rematch, but this time they are playing for the Walter Cup!

Here’s a recap of Victoire vs Frost Game 5 + 5 storylines to follow during the Charge vs Victoire PWHL Finals this year!

Join us for a livestream watch party of Victoire vs Charge Game 3, on Monday, May 18 at 6PM EST / 3PM PST!

I do monthly livestreams for my paid subscribers but this month I will be doing two livestreams, one for the semifinals and one for the finals!

Introducing this month’s livestream special guest: not kate sports! Kate is a women’s sports content creator based in CT who talks about basketball, F1, and hockey in a super funny and down-to-Earth way. We vibed instantly as soon as we met and I had so much fun watching the Madison Square Garden PWHL game with her. Check out her amazing PWHL vlog (featuring 365)!

Upgrade your subscription to attend monthly livestream watch parties! Support me so that I can continue making women’s hockey content. ($5 per month)

The livestream link will be shared on discord and also sent out by email 1 hour before the stream.

My new goal is to hit 100 paid subscribers, and we already have 64. Do you think we can make it?

Paid subscribers will also receive a 365 Hockey Girl sticker and zine in the mail! 🎉

WATCH: MY SENTIMENTAL SERIES & GAME RECAP: GOOD THINGS ARE WORTH WAITING FOR!

I’ve been rocking with the Montreal Victoire since 2024. For people who’ve been here, you know this hasn’t been an easy road. Swept in 2024. Only won one game in 2025 that went to quadruple OT. Last night they finally got it done against the reigning champs. Good things are worth waiting for.

This is the first time that a higher seed team has defeated a lower seed team in the PWHL playoffs. This is the first time the first seed has successfully defeated the opponent that they chose in the semi final.

The Victoire had the series lead, but they blew game 4. This could have all gone so wrong. But instead they got it done in game 5, at home in front of their fans!

We all knew that Marie-Philip Poulin was not at a hundred percent. She sustained an injury in the Olympics. She missed ten games in the regular season. I thought maybe this would be the series where Victoire rallied around their captain and got it done without her. Boy was I wrong. Instead, Marie-Philip Poulin just maximized her clutchness. Game-winner in triple OT in Game 2. Game-winner in a decisive Game 5. This is the stuff of legend.

This was an entire team effort, with an amazing performance from goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens, and a goal from Catherine Dubois as well. The Minnesota Frost honestly outplayed the Victoire and gave it everything they had. Watch my game recap for the full highlights!

When the Ottawa Charge clinched their playoff spot on the last day of the season, commentator Daniella Ponticelli said, “They did it with Irwin, they did it for MacLeod”. Ottawa Charge head coach Carla MacLeod was diagnosed with breast cancer and stepped away from the team to undergo treatment. She returned for hugs on the Charge bench after they clinched their playoff spot, and has returned to coach the Charge in the playoffs. Everyone is doing it for Carla, and now she has the chance to lead her team to the Walter Cup! 🏆

Last year, the Victoire picked the Charge as their opponent in the semifinal round, and despite being the heavy favorites, were upset by the Charge in 4 games 😬

I flew to Montreal and got to witness and EPIC game 2 that went to Quadruple OT, which was the Victoire’s first playoff win ever!

WATCH: MENTALLY I’M STILL AT THE 4OT GAME!

Can the Victoire redeem themselves and defeat the Charge this year, or will history repeat itself?

Victoire vs Charge in the semifinals last year:

Victoire vs Charge in the 2025-2026 regular season:

After the US stole the show at the 2026 Olympics, it just feels right that the Walter Cup is going to Canada. This year will be the first time the PWHL will have a Canadian champion! I’m excited to see fans traveling in between Montreal and Ottawa to support their teams!

Despite her injury that she has had since the Olympics, Marie-Philip Poulin has come up clutch, scoring the game-winner in triple OT in Game 2, as well as the game-winner in the decisive Game 5. She’s won everything there is to win… except a Walter Cup. Will this year be her year?

Gwyneth Philips is a literal cheat code. She won playoff MVP in the playoffs last year for her phenomenal performance, even though her team ultimately lost. She put on a show in this year’s semifinal against Boston, stealing games for the Ottawa Charge. She successfully defeated the Victoire in the semifinals last year. Can she do it again?

Welcome PWHL Las Vegas and PWHL Hamilton!